Pot and pan washing machines, of the type used in restaurants, institutions and other eating facilities often involve a large wash tank or basin in which water or other cleaning fluid is circulated to provide a continuous motion rolling wash action for the pots and pans and other “wares” (i.e. pots, pans, utensils, flatware/silverware, etc.). One such continuous motion style pot and pan washing machine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,436 issued to Cantrell et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The machine of Cantrell includes a wash tank with multiple flow directional openings (e.g. jets, nozzles, etc.) evenly spaced apart at an elevated position along the rear wall of the wash tank. The tank is filled with fluid (i.e. water, detergent, etc.) to a level above the position of the flow directional openings. Pots and pans are placed in the wash tank, and a wash pump is activated to draw fluid from within the wash tank and direct it through the flow directional openings to create a jet stream. Each flow directional opening directs its jet stream toward the bottom wall of the wash tank, the bottom wall then deflects the jet stream upward and towards the front wall of the tank. The front wall then deflects the upward moving jet stream towards the rear wall of the tank, and the rear wall deflects the jet stream downward and back towards the front wall along the bottom wall. The combination of deflections of the jet stream from the bottom, front and rear walls provides a rolling washing action within the wash tank. Typically, the rolling wash action is continuous through the washing cycle of the machine, and wares are unloaded and loaded during the washing period as they are deemed clean by an operator of the machine. In this manner, multiple loads of wares are cleaned during a single washing period.
Although the prior art pot and pan washing machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,436 provides an exceptional wash action, many of the components discussed above hinder the overall efficiency and performance of the machine. The inventions disclosed in U.S. application Ser. Nos. 09/947,484; 09/947,485; 10/744,666, and 12/781,750, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, provide components that greatly increase the overall efficiency and performance of the machine, including improvements to the intake and discharge manifolds, jets (flow directional openings), pump and system assembly methods. Notwithstanding, none of the prior art machines, systems or methods provide a simple and/or effective mechanism for filtering out and collecting debris in the form of solid and semi-solid particulate that can tend to accumulate in the wash fluid over time.
Debris is removed from the pots, pans and other utensils being cleaned in the wash basin/tank prior to being loaded into the wash basin/tank. Any debris that does not get removed becomes integrated with the fluid and fluid flow through the system in the form of solid and semi-solid particulate. Over time, as debris accumulates, it is unsightly, potentially reduces the effective cleaning power of the wash fluid and, eventually, could clog the system. Excessive amounts of this debris will ultimately cause the operator to use excessive time to keep the system clean. Excessive amounts of debris could arise from heavy and/or misuse of the system. While a process of periodically draining, cleaning/removing debris buildup, and refilling the wash basin is an adequate, expected and, at a certain point, required, solution, it would be beneficial to provide a system, and related methods that will reduce the frequency of downtime required for draining, cleaning, and refilling the wash basin and/or reduce the amount of unsightly debris within the wash fluid.